The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1887-02-19

their own vicious habits or gross carelessness.'
3. such disability must DO such ~ inca
FACILITATES them for tho performance Of labor
In such degree a. 10 render them unable to
earn support.
a. They must DO dependent upon their daily
g. Upon proof OF these condition they shall
DO placed on the list OF invalid pensioners n
the United States ana be entitled to receive for
such total inability 70 procure their Subsistence
by daily labor Sl2 per month
IL Il not probable that the words last quoted.
such total Inability 10 procure their subsistence
by daily labor nj all qualify the conditions
prescribed In tho preceding language OF the Soc
tion. The total Inability spoken OF must be
such inability; that ~, the inability already
described and constituted by tho conditions
already detailed IN the previous parts OF the
section. II thus becomes important 20 consider
the meaning aud the scope Of those last-men-
toned conditions
-'rho mental and physical disability spoken
OF has distinct meaning in the practice OF the
Pension Bureau. and includes every impair
ment OF bodily or mental strength and vigor:
For such disabilities there are now paid l3i
different rates Of pensions, ranging from 81 20
500 per month. This disability must not DO
tho result Of tho applicants vicious habits or
IA not important. The attempt OF the Govern
ment 20 escape the payment OF pension on
such plea would, OF course. In very large
majority OF instances, and regardless OF the
merits OF the case. prove failure There
would be that strange but nearly universal viii.
lnGuchS 10 holp tho fnulftdunt, as between nltn
and the public treasury. which goes very far 10
insure state of proof In favor OF the claimant.
The disability OF applicants must be such as
70 fnenpacitato them for the performance Of
labor in such degree AS To render Thorn unable
10 earn support IL will be observed that
there a. no limitation or definition OF the inca
pacitatlng injury or nilmsn itself. IL need only
be such degree OF disability from any cause
as renders the claimant unable 90 earn n sup
port by labor IL seems 10 me that the support
here mentioned as one which cannot bo earned
a "A 40 ~ IA nj "a WI "A i'm
mutton ON account Of the least impairment OF
physical or mental condition. IL Il had been
intended 10 embrace only those who by disease
or injury were totally unable 70 labor. IL would
have been very easy 20 express that idea in-
stoad OF recognizing IA IL has DONE degree
Of such inability.
whether man earns IL. or has or has II not?
Is the Government 10 enter the homes OF claim
ants for pensions and after an examination Of
their surroundings and circumstances settle
those questions? Shall tho Government say 10
one man that his manner Of subsistence by his
earnings IL support, and 20 another that the
things his earnings furnish Is not support
Any attompt, however honest, To administer
this law in such manner would necessarily pro-
duce more unfairness and unjust discrimina-
ton. and give more scope for partisan PARTIAL
ty, and would result In more pervorsion OF the
Governments benevolent intentions than tho
execution OF any statute ought 10 permit
If, in tho effort 10 carry out the proposed law.
the degree Of disability rotated 20 earnings
be considered for tho purpose Of discovering II.
I'm any way 10 curtails the support which the APP
plcant, IL entirely sound. would earn and 20
which ne ~ entitled, We enter the broad field
long occupied by tho Pension Bureau, and we
recognize as the only difference between tho
proposed legislation and previous laws passed
for the benefit Of the surviving soldiers OF the
civil war tho incurfenco In one case OF disabii-
ties in military service. and in tho other disa-
bilitios existing but In way connected with
or resulting from such service.
1T must be borne in mind that In no case ~
there any grading OF this proposed pension
Undor the operation OF the rule nrst suggested,
II there IL q lack In any degree. great or small,
OF the ability 10 earn such n support as tho gov
eminent determines the claimant should have.
and by the application OF the rule secondly sug-
gested IL there IL "A reduction i'm any dagreo OF
the support which no might earn II sound, no IL
entitled 20 n pension OF Si2.
I'm the latter case. and under the provision OF
the proposed bill permitting persons now rcceiv-
ing pensions TO be admitted TO the benefits OF
the act, do not SEQ how those now on the pom
sion roll for disabilities incurred IN the service,
aud which diminish their earning capacity, can
be denied the pension provided In this bill
-Of course none will apply who arc now re-
cciving Sl2 or moro per month. Hut ON juno
80, 1855. there were ON the pension rolls 2o2.62l
persons who were receiving ffty-eight different
rates OF pension, from ~ 10 sll.75 per month.
OF these ~. l42 were receiving 81 per month,
63.lIG 81 per month. 37.25i 81 per month, and
oO,27t whose disabilities were rated at - per
month.
AS 20 the meaning OF the soction OF tho bill
under consideration there appears 20 have been
quite difference Of opinion among its ndvocat
in the Congress. The Chairman OF the Com
mtttoc ON Pensions in the House OF Representa-
tives, who reported the bill, declared that thcre
was IN IL no provision for pensioning any one
who has less disability than total disability
to labor. and that IL was charity measure.
The Chairman OF tho Committee on Pensions
in the Senate, having charge OF the bill i'm that
body. dissented from the construction Of the bill
announced I'm the House Of Representatives, and
declared that IL not only embraced all soldiers
totally disabled, but in his judgment all who
are disabled 20 any considerable extent and
fall
the bill by another distinguished Senator. who,
as former Secretary of the Interior. Ind
imposed upon him the duty OF executing pen
sion laws and determining their intent and
meaning.
Another condition required OF claimants un-
der this net ~ that they shall be dependent
upon their daily labor for support. This lam
guage, which may be aaid % assume that there
exists within the reach ~ the persons mem
toned labor or the ability In some degree 20
work, 10 more aptly used I'm a statute describ-
ing those not wholly deprived Of this ability
than in one which deals with those utterly un-
able 10 work.
tended that undor the provisions Of this section
any soldier whose faculties Of mind or body
have become impaired by accident disease, or
age. irrespective Of his scrvioo In tho army ns
cause, and who by his labor only a left incnpn-
bio Of gaining tho lar support ne might with
unimpaired powers have provided for himself,
and who IL not so well endowed with this worlds
goods 20 live without work. may claim 10 par
ticipata in its bounty; that IL 10 not required
that he should be without property. but only
that labor should DO necessary 10 his support i'm
come degree. nor Is II required that he should
be now receiving support from others
~Bclio, ing ia 90 be the proper Interpretation
az tn, hill, | cannot but remember that the
soldiers Of our civil in their pay aud
bounty received such compensation for military
SO vice as has never been recoivod by soldiers
be fore since mankind went to war, that never
before ON behalf of any soldiers, have 40 many
aud such generous laws boon passed 20 re-
lievo against the incidents OF war that stat.
utee have lie passed giving them prefer
ence IN all public einployinents. that tho
III, md hnlllnlDal hmm anlllaIa